When you scratch below the surface of the Malabar Mission Society, you discover — at the core of our organization — a story¹ ... a story about faith, hope, love, commitment, compassion, generosity, and, above all .... service to God. It is a story that continues to unfold today ... a story that, in many ways, has been repeated — and heard (many times) — throughout history. It's a story about God's call to His people — a people that includes Jews & Gentiles, men and women, 'whites and blacks', young and old, educated and uneducated, rich and poor ... all nationalities, all genders, all races, all personalities. A call to return home .. to be with God ... to know Him and 'hear' His peaceful, caring voice .... calling us to "be still, and know that I am God." [Ps.46:10]
It's a call that we hear again in the words of Isaiah: "For the mountains may depart and the hills be removed, but my steadfast love shall not depart from you, and my covenant of peace shall not be removed, says the LORD, who has compassion on you." [Is.54:10 ESV]
For the followers, and supporters, of the the Malabar Mission Society, the story begins with the families — and friends — of the south Indian coastline, a region known as Malabar [in Kerala state]. Our story takes shape in the lives of Pastors, Evangelists, teachers, leaders, healers ... and Gospel Workers, all who work tirelessly to reach-out to the people of Malabar .... to care for them, to teach them, heal them, and give them hope. It is a story that responds to the call of God ... to listen and to hear, to love and to serve. A story with a message: .. that God is love, that God loves you, and that God wants you to be a part of His world, His Kingdom.
It's the mission of the Malabar Mission Society ... and it is WHO we are!
¹The Story of the Malabar Mission Society — An Introduction
We could call this story "the Malabar Mala". The word mala in the Malayalam language of southwest India literally means "a garland." In India it is customary to place a garland of flowers around the neck of an honoured person. This story is a kind of garland of appreciation for all the volunteers, donors, and workers who have helped the Malabar Mission Society.
In a derived meaning the word mala also signifies a "song-story." In that sense our narrative is first of all a song of praise to the Lord of the Mission for years of blessing. The Psalmist expresses the sentiment very clearly: "Sing unto the Lord for He has done marvellous things!" It is secondly a genuine human story, the account of the efforts of ordinary people who by pulling together do marvellous things.
Without hesitancy we can describe this as a good story because it has to do with God's good news, the Gospel. As such it is an open-ended story. The proclamation of the Gospel is like a rock thrown into a lake. The waves keep going out. The Gospel creates waves of hope. In a very small way the Malabar Mission Society has helped to produce some hope in one part of the world that bears the ancient name of Malabar, and its waves are going out.
[an exerpt from the self-published book: "The Story of the Malabar Mission Society: Two Decades of Service" .... .. written by Rev. Dr. Roland E. Miller, © 2011]
note: the menu section titled "About Us" gives a more detailed summary on the background, and history, of the Malabar Mission Society.